Startup India Roundup Daily Key Highlights

Startup India Roundup Daily Key Highlights

India’s startup landscape continues to buzz with innovation, leadership appointments, fresh capital raises, and tech-driven initiatives. Here’s your daily digest from across sectors—covering fintech, healthtech, edtech, green finance, ecommerce, and more.

Sri Lanka’s Startup Sparkle: A Growing Innovation Hub in South Asia

Sri Lanka is making steady progress as a regional startup hotspot. With over 900 registered startups, the island nation is capitalising on its favourable geography, multi-ethnic culture, and global trade connectivity. According to Sachindra Samararatne of the ICT Agency of Sri Lanka, the local startup ecosystem evolved post-2010, driven by policy support and a cultural shift towards entrepreneurship.

Impact Story: Nasar Thootha’s ‘Dress Bank’ for Brides in Need

For five years, Nasar Thootha has quietly transformed wedding dreams into reality for hundreds of underprivileged brides across India. His “Dress Bank” collects, cleans, and distributes bridal wear at no cost. Inspired by his mother’s acts of service, Nasar's initiative proves how social innovation can uplift communities with dignity.

Green Finance Boost: TapFin Launches NBFC Arm, GoGreen Capital

TapFin, a sustainability-focused financing platform, has launched GoGreen Capital—an NBFC targeting the clean mobility, battery circulation, and solar energy sectors. The platform aims to empower startups, MSMEs, and fleet operators to transition to clean energy solutions through accessible and impact-driven financing.

Fintech Update: Piyush Anchliya Joins Cashfree Payments as CFO

Cashfree Payments has onboarded Piyush Anchliya, former CFO at Bandhan AMC, as its new Chief Financial Officer. With a strong background in investment banking and M&A, Anchliya is expected to help strengthen Cashfree’s financial strategy as the company scales its operations.

CENTA Raises ₹20 Cr Series A1 to Empower Teachers

Centre for Teacher Accreditation (CENTA) has secured ₹20 crore in Series A1 funding led by Colossa Ventures. The edtech startup offers teacher certifications, skill development, and a unique “teacher-as-a-service” platform, with users across 100+ countries including Nigeria, UAE, and the Philippines. The funds will support scaling, tech enhancements, and international expansion.

Rio Innobev Raises ₹10 Cr to Expand Beverage Biz

RIO, the maker of bubbly fruit drinks and energy beverages, has raised ₹10 crore in a pre-Series A round led by Atomic Capital. With 35,000+ retail touchpoints in Maharashtra and Gujarat, the company plans to scale to 1 lakh outlets and expand its portfolio to include health and functional drinks.

Poonawalla Fincorp Enters Gold Loan Segment

Poonawalla Fincorp has expanded its lending portfolio with a gold loan offering. Targeted at consumers and MSMEs, the product promises fast disbursals (within 30 minutes), minimal paperwork, and flexible repayment terms. It aims to offer financial liquidity while helping borrowers retain their long-term assets.

Moglix Names Sanjeev Arora as CFO

B2B ecommerce giant Moglix has appointed Sanjeev Arora as its new CFO to lead its financial strategy and IPO readiness. With over 20 years of experience in companies like Goodyear, Nokia, and Apollo International, Arora is expected to spearhead the firm’s long-term growth and market entry ambitions.

Healthtech Leap: Tulu Health Launches AI Agent Platform

Tulu Health, founded by AIIMS, IIT, and Stanford alumni, has launched India’s first AI-driven healthcare assistant platform. Available via WhatsApp and hospital sites, the platform aims to assist 10 million patients by 2028. It integrates clinical insight with AI to streamline communication and improve patient outcomes.

Equirus Wealth Unveils Integrated Wealth-Tech Platform

Equirus Wealth has rolled out a next-gen wealth management platform offering portfolio analytics, real-time insights, and advisory tools for India’s HNIs and affluent investors. The all-in-one platform aims to redefine client-advisor collaboration and transparency in financial planning.

Davaindia Launches Ecommerce in Pune for Affordable Generics

Davaindia, a popular generic pharmacy chain, has gone live in Pune with its ecommerce service. Promising delivery within 60 minutes and access in 14 Indian languages, the platform supports prescription uploads and provides high-quality alternatives to branded medicines.

BankersKlub Appoints Gaurav Kathuria as Head of Marketing & Partnerships

Fintech platform BankersKlub has appointed Gaurav Kathuria to lead its marketing and strategic alliances. His experience in automation, content creation, and customer engagement is expected to drive brand visibility and deepen customer relationships across financial services.

upGrad Partners with Seed Group to Expand in MENA

Mumbai-based edtech firm upGrad has partnered with the UAE’s Seed Group to promote AI-powered learning and upskilling across the MENA region. The collaboration aims to tap into growing demand for workforce development and innovation across the Middle East.

CleverTap Acquires rehook.ai to Boost Promotions and Retention

Customer engagement platform CleverTap has acquired rehook.ai—a Y Combinator-backed promotions automation startup. The acquisition allows CleverTap to offer a comprehensive suite combining retention, loyalty programs, gamification, and analytics to improve customer lifecycle management.

Aaroha Launches Leadership Framework Inspired by Indian Philosophy

Hyderabad-based Aaroha has launched a unique humanistic leadership platform founded on Indian philosophical principles. Spearheaded by former leaders from Microsoft, Accenture, and UpGrad, Aaroha seeks to help businesses build resilient leadership and organisational capability with indigenous wisdom.

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